AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

PLANNING SHEET BOOK 9

The Youngsters Behind Youtube

Grammar Review

Sample Test ( Cambridge – Listening)

Beats Me

When to use Female Nouns

Reading Skills

Listening Practice

Grammar Review

Slang

Oral Practice

Good for you

Debate

Listening Practice

Grammar Review

Slang

Good luck

Your negative attitude can hurt your

career

Reading Skill

Sample Test ( Cambridge – Reading)

Who cares

“What is freedom of expression?”

Debate

Grammar review

Reading

Oral Practice

Sample Test (Cambridge – writing)

Big Deal

The Colorful World of Synesthesia

Reading Skill

Sample Test ( Cambridge – Listening)

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

CLASS

The Youngsters Behind Youtube

Before You Read

A. Connect with the topic. In the chart below, list two more ways you

interact with friends online. Then list the ways you do each activity.

Things you do with friends online

How do you do it?

1. Share pictures

By e-mail

On social networking sites

On my blog

B. Pair work. Compare answers Activity A. How would you interact with

friends if you didn't have access to e-mail or the Internet?

C. Preview the reading. Look quickly to complete the Previewing Chart

below.

Previewing chart

1. Title of the reading: __________________ _

2. Names of people and companies

in the reading.(list 3 mores)

3. Key words. (What words appear

in the reading several times? List 3

more)

Steve Chen

________________

Business

_________________

________________

_________________

4. I think this reading is probably about:

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Reading Passage

The Youngsters Behind VouTube: Steve Chen

and Chad Hurley

by Evan Carmichael

1 "Everybody aspires to be a star:' says Steve Chen, a Taiwanese immigrant who

came to the United States with his family in hopes of a better life. Chen's

aspirations became a reality when he, along with Pennsylvania-born Chad

Hurley, created what is today the world's largest s online video website.

5 YouTube has now become a global sensation, propelling both Hurley and Chen to

the top of Business 2.0's list of "The 50 People Who Matter Now." YouTube was

also named TIME magazine's 2006 "Invention of the Year:' When Hurley and

Chen decided to sell their company, they did so for a hefty price tag of $1.65

billion.

10 Steve Shih Chen was born in August 1978 in Taiwan, where he lived until he

was eight years old. His family then emigrated to the U.S., where Chen attended

John Hersey High School and later the Illinois Math and Science Academy. After

graduating from high school, Chen enrolled in the University of Illinois at Urbana-

Champaign to pursue a degree

15 in computer science. But it would be a part-time job he was hired for

at a small e-commerce start-up called PayPal that would change his

life forever. Chad Meredith Hurley was born in 1977 as the middle child I of

parents Donald and JoAnn Hurley. His father was a financial consultant, while

20 his mother worked as a local schoolteacher. Chad, along with his older

sister and younger brother, grew up near Birdsboro, Pennsylvania.

After graduating from Twin Valley High School in 1995, where his mother

continues to teach in the gifted program,2 Hurley enrolled in the Indiana

University of Pennsylvania to pursue a bachelor's degree in fine art.

25 Before graduating from the university, Hurley also applied for a job at

PayPal. He was flown to California and, as part of his job interview, was

asked to design a logo for the young company that would demonstrate

his artistic abilities. Hurley got the job, and the logo he designed remains

PayPal's official logo to this day.

I. the middle child the second-born child in a family with three children

2. gifted program a program of study designed for exceptionally intelligent

students

30 It was while working at PayPal that Hurley and Chen became fast

friends. 3 They began to spend their free time discussing several different

business ideas. When eBay purchased PayPal for $1.54 billion, the

two received large bonuses for their role in growing the small start-up.

They decided to use their money to create their own venture. With

35 Chen's engineering skills and Hurley's creativity, they thought forming

a company together was a plausible idea.

In January 2005, Hurley and Chen attended a friend's dinner party

in San Francisco. They had taken a few digital videos of the event and

wanted to share them with each other the next day, but could not find a

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

40 good means to do so. The files were too big to e-mail, and posting them

online would take hours. With that, Hurley and Chen had their first idea

for a sustainable business. Using the money they had received from the

PayPal buyout , Chen and Hurley decided to create YouTube, to make

uploading and sharing videos online as easy as anyone could want. It

45 was the birth of a revolution.4

"We're not in a hurrY:' Hurley once said. "We're interested in building

our community. We're trying to improve discovery. We're trying to

improve the experience for people on our site." They might not have been

in a hurry, but their site sure grew in one. Today, YouTube has almost half

50 of the online video market, and it is still growing. How did a university

dropout and a boy who loved to draw become the industry leaders they

are considered now?

User-Oriented: Hurley and Chen knew from personal experience how

difficult it was to upload and share videos online. And that was why they

55 decided to create You Tube. They wanted to create a website that others

like themselves would find useful. By prioritizing its users' needs and

being as easy and interactive as possible, YouTube was able to find a loyal

audience that numbers in the millions.

Unique: When you visit YouTube.com, you are most likely searching

60 for something that you cannot find anywhere else. From long-lost '80s

music videos, to political speeches, to the current events of today, you are

almost guaranteed to find it on YouTube. And that is why people keep

coming back for more.

3 fast friends very good friends

4 the birth of a revolution beginning of a dramatic change in the way things

are done

Viral: Both YouTube's marketing strategy and growth as a result have

65 been viral in nature. From holding promotions such as the iPod Nano

daily giveaway to having an external video player that can be placed on

any website and can link back to their own, Hurley and Chen created

a platform that continues to grow at an exponential rate.s

Well-Timed: Some have suggested that YouTube's success was due to a

70 perfect storm6 of environmental factors. More to the point, it was Hurley

and Chen's ability to not only notice, but also take advantage of that storm

that pushed them to the top. From the lessening of the cost of bandwidth

and digital cameras to the growth of online social networks, Hurley and

Chen created a company that was right for the times.

75 Focused: Hurley and Chen were never out to create a money-making

machine. They wanted to create a sustainable business, but also one that

meant something to its users. And so, instead of overloading its pages

and videos with advertisements, Hurley and Chen are being careful and

testing the waters as to which ads will work, and where. They are refusing

80 to lose sight of 7 their number one priority, their user.

YouTube put the right technology out there to meet a need, but it did

so much more than that. It created a simple and unique way for people to

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

connect with each other. It has become the fastest-growing video sharing

site of all time, all the while outliving the critics' claims that it is just

85 another teenage fad that will soon die down. With the Google buyout, the

company faces a more uncertain future in terms of how it will operate and

who will call the shots.a One thing is for sure, however, and that is that

Hurley and Chen are still here, and their business is still booming.

5 exponential rate extremely fast rate

6 perfect storm situation in which a number of events occur at once to

produce a dramatic result

7 lose sight of forget about

8 call the shots make the imp ortant decisions

After You Read

Understanding the Text

A. Comprehension

For each item below, fill in the correct circle.

Identifying the Author´s Purpose ( the author probably wrote the article in

order to_.

A. explain how to create a start-up

B. tell the story of the success of You Tube

C. share his opinion about Steve Chen and Chad Hurley

D. describe how people can use the Internet to share videos

2. Scanning for Details Chen and Hurley_.

A. spent over $1 billion building YouTube

B. bought YouTube for over $1 billion

C. sold YouTube for $1.54 billion

D. sold YouTube for $1.65 billion

3. Scanning for Details Steve Chen is

A. an artist

B. an engineer

C. a student

D. a teacher

4. Scanning for Details Chad Hurley is_.

A. an investor

B. an engineer

C. an artist

D. a programmer

5. Scanning for Details Chen and Hurley got the idea for creating YouTube

because they_.

A. Enjoyed working together at payPal

B. had received bonuses from the PayPal buyout

C. needed to get new jobs after they quit working at Pay Pal

D. wanted to share videos they took at a dinner party

6. Scanning for Details According to the article, two reasons that YouTube

is successtul are that___.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

A. it's easy to use, and it came at the right time

B. it's viral, and posting videos is free

C. you can find almost anything on it, and the company donates money

to charity

D. people like seeing themselves and their friends online, and it's the only

video-sharing website on the Internet

B. Vocabulary

Underline these words in the reading. Then match the words with their

definitions.

1. _user-oriented a. becoming popular very quickly, especially online

2. _bandwidth b. how much information can be sent at once

3._ start-up c. a new company, especially an Internet

company

4. _e-commerce d. can continue for a long time

5. _viral e. designed with users' needs in mind

6. __ sustainable f. business done on the Internet

C. Consider the Issues

Work with a partner to complete the chart below.

Popular Websites

What can you do on this

website?

Other Similar websites

Building Vocabulary

Understanding Compound Nouns

Compound nouns are nouns that are made up of two or more words.

Most compound nouns consist of a noun + noun or an adjective + noun.

Compound nouns can be open (two or more separate words), closed (two

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

words together), or hyphenated.

Examples: video blog website brother-in-law

The first word in a compound noun usually modifies the second noun.

For example, in the compound noun video blog, the word video identifies

the type of blog.

As a compound word becomes more common, it often changes and

simplifies. For example, electronic mail became e-mail. The open

compound noun web log became the closed weblog and then was

shortened into a single noun: blog. To check the spelling of a compound

noun, it's best to check a current dictionary.

A. Find and circle these compound nouns in the article on pages 3-5. Then

use five of them to complete the sentences below.

financial consultant

music videos

fine art

schoolteacher

price tag

free time

bachelor's degree

high school

video player

current events

part-time job

1. When I checked the ________ on that laptop, I realized it

wasn't as expensive as I had expected.

2. Alan reads the news online every day so he can keep up with _________.

3. What do you like to do in your ________ ? I like to read and play my guitar.

4. Kim wants to get a____________________ at the computer store so she

can get discounts on computer equipment.

5. I have a ____________________ in psychology, and now I'm going back

to school to study psychiatry.

GRAMMAR REVIEW

PresentProgressiveStory1

(Present Continuous)

Who are they? Where are they?

What are they doing?

Now Janet is in her house. She is

sitting on a wooden chair. She is

holding a coat. She is fixing it.

James is Janet's husband. He is

sitting in front of her. He is fixing

clothes too.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Elizabeth is sitting next to James. She is Janet's sister. Right now she is helping

Janet and James. They are working together. They are fixing clothes.

At this moment a man is coming in. He is wearing dark clothes. He is carrying

a pile of clothes. They are all working very hard.

Present Progressive Story 1 – Exercises

Answer the following questions. Use the Present Progressive tense.

Where is Janet sitting now? What is she doing?

Where is James sitting now? What is he doing?

Who is coming in at this moment? What is he carrying?

Rewrite the following sentences as negative sentences, yes/no

questions, WH-questions (using the underlined word) and tag

questions.

1. She is sitting on a wooden chair.

Negative:

_________________________________________________

Yes/No Question:

Examples for the sentence “Dan is eating now”

Negative: Dan is not eating now.

Yes/No Question: Is Dan eating now?

WH-Question: When is Dan eating?

Tag Question: Dan is eating now, isn’t he?

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

_________________________________________________

WH-Question:

_________________________________________________

Tag Question:

_________________________________________________

2. She is holding a coat.

Negative:

_________________________________________________

Yes/No Question:

_________________________________________________

WH-Question:

_________________________________________________

Tag Question:

_________________________________________________

3. He is wearing dark clothes.

Negative:

_________________________________________________

Yes/No Question:

_________________________________________________

WH-Question:

_________________________________________________

Tag Question:

_________________________________________________

C. Rewrite the story using contractions.

SAMPLE TEST

KEY ENGLISH TEST

LISTENING

Questions 1 – 7

PART 1

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

1 What will the boy bring for the barbecue?

2 Which part of the boy’s body hurts now?

3 What will the visitors see last?

4 Where did the police catch the zebra?

5 What did the girl do yesterday?

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

6 Which computer game does the girl like most?

7 Which sport did the boy do for the first time on holiday?

Part 2

Questions 8 – 13

For each question, choose the correct answer.

8. You will hear two friends talking about a campsite they have been to. What did the boy like

best about it?

A. It was very close to the beach.

B. There were lots of people his age.

C. The activities were free.

9. You will hear two friends talking about homework.

The girl thinks that doing homework with friends

A. is fun.

B. helps concentration.

C. takes longer than doing it alone.

10. You will hear a boy telling his friend about a rock-climbing trip.

How did he feel about it?

A. grateful for the help he got

B. satisfied with his climbing

C. hopeful of going again

11. You will hear two friends talking about learning to play the guitar.

The girl advises the boy to

A. practise more often.

B. play in a variety of styles.

C. listen to the best guitarists.

12. You will hear two friends talking about a book they’ve read. They agree that it has

A. lots of action.

B. realistic characters.

C. an unexpected ending.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

13. You will hear two friends talking about a concert they have been to. They agree that

A. the organisation was poor.

B. the performance was good.

C. the tickets were expensive.

Part 3

Questions 14 – 19

For each question, write the correct answer in the gap. Write one or two words or a number or

a date or a time.

You will hear a man called Phil Lamb telling a group of students about his work as a TV news

presenter.

TV news presenter

Phil’s first job after university was on local

(14)___________________________.

Before presenting the news, Phil looks through the day’s

(15) _______________.

Phil says that he’s very careful about which (16) ____________________

wears.

Phil sometimes finds the names of some (17) _________________difficult to

say correctly.

Phil enjoys presenting news on the topic of (18)___________________.

Phil would like to be a (19) ________________________in thefuture.

Part 4

Questions 20 – 25

For each question, choose the correct answer.

You will hear a radio interview with a young singer called Mandy.

20. Mandy started working as a DJ

A. once she could afford the equipment.

B. after she lost her job as a nurse.

C. when she first left school.

21. What does Mandy say about her singing career?

A. It started by chance.

B. It took years of practice.

C. It began with a song that she wrote.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

22. What is Mandy’s new song about?

A. making new friends

B. changing your mind

C. finding life difficult

23. How does Mandy feel about her new CD?

A. sure that people will like it

B. pleased with what she’s achieved

C. sorry that it wasn’t ready on time

24. Mandy’s favorite songs are those which

A. are easy to dance to.

B. other women have written.

C. have interesting words.

25. In the future, Mandy plans to

A. learn another instrument.

B. run her own business.

C. work in television.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Beats Me

Meaning/Usage: To not know; to not understand

Explanation: Not many resources on this phrase, but could come from beating

information out of someone. When someone is holding back information, they

would get beat until they tell the answer. In this case, the person could be saying

that even if I was beaten, I wouldn't know. Therefore, it became popular to say

"beats me" to indicate you do not know.

"It beats me how they finished before us."

"Beats me why he was so mean to you."

"Beats me how she found out we did it."

A. "So how did you and Tim do in your race?"

B. "I finished in third and Tim finished in second."

A. "You got third? How did Tim beat you?"

B. "Beats me, I guess he has been training really hard."

Other Common Sentences

"I have no idea how to do this."

"I don't know what he's talking about."

Make 3 examples

___________________________________________________

When to Use Female Nouns

Before You Read

A. Connect with the topic. Put each noun below into the correct

column in the chart.

mailman

prince

waiter

policeman

princess

mail carrier

waitress

police officer

firefighter

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

stewardess

fireman

flight attendant

Male Noun

Female Noun

Gender-Neutral Noun

B. Pair work. Compare answers to Activity A above. Which of these

words do you think are not often used in contemporary English?

Add at least one more word to each column above.

C. Preview the reading. Look quickly over the article to

complete the Previewing Chart below.

Previewing Chart

1. Title of the reading:

____________________________________________________

2. Key words. (What words appear 3. Female nouns. (Find 3 more

several times? List 3 more.) female nouns in the reading.)

Nous _____________ actress

______________

_________ _____________ __________

______________

4. I think this reading is probably about:

Reading Passage

When to Use Female Nouns by Mignon

Fogarty

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

1 Today's topic is the use of feminine nouns such as "actress"

and «comedienne:' These days, people often see such terms as

sexist, but it's also common to hear at least some of them. So

what exactly are the modern rules for using such terms? Actually,

this isn't a matter of

5 grammar. It's about writing to minimize the potential for readers

to draw conclusions1 you don't want to convey.

Other Languages Have More Feminine Nouns

It could be worse. In some languages, most nouns have different

forms for different sexes. For example, in Spanish, a male lawyer

is an abogado, and a female lawyer is an abogada. Furthermore,

in some languages, even verbs can have different forms,

depending on the sex of their subject. In Hebrew, raa means

"saw" for masculine subjects, while raata means "saw" for

feminine subjects. In Mandarin Chinese, a man can "marry" a

woman, but a woman can only "be married to" a man.

Even in English, there used to be more female-specific nouns than

here are now. Centuries ago, people used now-obsolete2 nouns

such as "teacheress:' "soldieress;' and "ministress:' The fact that

English has mostly abandoned female-specific nouns like these is

probably part of the reason that the remaining ones tend to attract

attention.

1 draw conclusions reach an opinion or belief about something

2 obsolete no longer used because it is out of date

20 Paired Nouns Are OK

Sometimes male- and female-specific nouns don't suggest

roblematic messages. Pairs such as "prince" and "princess;'

"duke" and "duchess:'3 "abbot" and "abbess"4 are

unobjectionable.5 In these pairs, the male- specific term never

refers to both males and females. Even though it might be

convenient to have a word to refer to any child of a king or

queen, "prince" can only mean a king or queen's son. So, if the

sexes are treated equally, each one having its own term, the

female-specific term is probably OK.

Some Gender-Neutral Nouns, Such as "Flight Attendant:'

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

30 Have Become Standard

The next-easiest cases are those where a gender-neutral term has

become popular. In recent decades, gender-neutral terms, such as

"firefighter:' "police officer:' "mail carrier;' and "flight attendant" have

gained currency.

Definitely use these.

35 Problems Arise When a Noun Exists to Call Out Only One

Sex

The troublesome cases are when we have one term that can refer

to either sex, and another that refers only to women. Take the word

"author:' It can refer to men or women in a sentence such as, "Our

agency represents many authors:' But if you use "author" to refer to

writers of either sex, and the exclusively feminine "authoress" to refer

to female authors, you now have a way of referring specifically to

female authors, but no way of referring specifically to male authors.

The implication is that most authors are male, and that it's worth

pointing out when one of them isn't. As The Cambridge Grammar of the

English Language says, "The marked term suggests some difference in

status and may imply lower standards or achievement."

Is There Ever a Good Reason to Write "Female Doctor"?

This issue comes up even when there aren't gender-specific terms. For

example, "doctor" can be either masculine or feminine. Sally McConnell-

50 Ginet, a linguist at Cornell University who specializes in language and

gender, advises, "If you write 'female doctor; then ask yourself why you

want to emphasize that a certain doctor is a woman. Do you write 'male

doctor' in similar contexts?" Her point is that sexism in society makes it

easy to send messages in our word choice that we don't intend to send.

3 duke I duchess a man I woman with a noble or very high rank

4 abbot I abbess the leader of a group of monks I nuns

5 unobjectionable not offensive

6 gained currency started being believed, accepted, or used by many people

55 Make Sure Your Words Are Relevant

The guideline suggested in Garner's Modern American Usage and The

Merriam- Webster Dictionary of English Usage is to avoid using a

genderspecific noun unless sex is relevant to the discussion. Usually it

isn't. Sex doesn't typically matter when you're talking about doctors or

authors, for example.

60 But what about when sex is relevant? Another case in point: "actress:'

Male and female actors usually play different kinds of roles, so it's useful

for people in show business to make this distinction. If "actress" saves

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

them from having to use "female actor;' why not use it?

Unfortunately, even if you follow this guideline of using gender-neutral

65 noun forms in most cases, and gender-specific nouns only when sex

is relevant, the problem remains. You'll end up using female-specific

terms to talk specifically about women, but where's the analogous7

male-specific term? If there isn't one, you may still be sending a

message that a woman doing some job is surprising news. And indeed,

·although

70 there is sometimes a good reason to use the word "actress:' that hasn't

stopped it from acquiring negative connotations,8 as we're told by

a contact in the industry.

In cases like these, where linguistic change is ongoing, the usage of the

audience you're writing for can be a good guide. If a certain community

75 uses "actress" where they are clearly not devaluing9 women's acting,

feel

free to do likewise. If they insist on "actor" across the board, you may

want to follow suit.

Summary

If there's a gender-neutral term in general use, use it. If there's not, but

80 the masculine and feminine nouns each stay in their own territory, then

use them. Be careful when one term can refer to either sex, another

term

refers only to women, and no term refers only to men. In these cases,

avoid referring to a person's sex if possible, and if it's not, carefully

assess

the usage of your audience. But remember that these "rules" are just

85 shortcuts: what matters is getting across the messages you want to

send

and trying to block those you don't.

7 analogous similar

8 connotations impressions that a word gives in addition to its meaning

9 devaluing reducing the value of something

1 0 follow suit do as other people are doing

After You Read

Understanding the Text

A. Comprehension

For each item below, fill in the correct circle.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

1. Identifying the Author's Purpose rhe purpose of the article is to _.

A. educate

B. persuade

C. entertain

D. tell a personal story

2. Finding the Main Idea A main idea of this article is that_.

A. many languages have feminine nouns

B. you should never use a feminine noun instead of a masculine or

gender-neutral noun

C. you should use the type of noun that best expresses your meaning

D. in English, there used to be more feminine nouns than there are

now

3. Scanning for Details According to the reading, in _, the form of a verb

can depend on the gender of its subject.

A. English

B. Hebrew

C. Japanese

D. Spanish

4. Scanning for Details An equivalent noun pair like "prince" and "princess".

A. is always OK to use

B. is never OK to use

C. is not common in most languages

D. has gained currency recently

5. Scanning for Details Using a term like "authoress" to refer to female

authors can cause problems because __ .

A. some people might not know the word

B. the term may become obsolete

C. it's not a common term

D. it suggests that female authors have lower status

6. Scanning for Details According to the author, when you aren't sure

whether 1rs UK to use a female noun, you should __ .

A. always use the male-specific term

B. think about your audience

C. try to find a different word to use

D. ask your audience what they're comfortable with

B. Vocabulary

Underline these words in the reading passage. Then complete each

sentence with the correct word.

Potential imply relevant exclusively avoid gender-

neutral

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

1. Using the term "female doctor" instead of simply "doctor" can

________ that there is a difference between male and female doctors.

2. Before using a female noun, you should always consider whether or

not it conveys your message correctly. Otherwise, you have the

__________ to express the wrong message.

3. __________________terms like "flight attendant" are always

acceptable.

4. Female nouns do not occur _____________ in English. They also

exist in other languages.

5. Sometimes it's OK to use terms like "actress." That's when the

gender of the person is ________________________ to the discussion.

6. Try to ________________ using gender-specific nouns when you are

not trying to differentiate between men and women.

C. Consider the Issues

Work with a partner to answer the questions below.

1. The author says, "Even in English, there used to be more female-

specific nouns than there are now. Centuries ago, people used now-

obsolete nouns such as 'teacheress: 'soldieress: and 'ministress:" Why

do you think English speakers use female-specific nouns less frequently

now than they used to?

List your ideas below.

_________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

2. Do you ever use gender-specific nouns in English? Why or why not?

Do you agree with the author that these words can be offensive?

_________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

3. Does your first language have gender-specific nouns or verbs?

Share some examples.

_________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Building Vocabulary

Using Female and Gender-Neutral Nouns

Some nouns that used to be common, like weatherman and

stewardess, are gender-biased. Gender-neutral terms were created to

replace them. Look at this list of gender-biased nouns and their gender-

neutral forms.

Gender-biased term

Gender-neutral term

weatherman

businessman

fireman

waiter/waitress

steward/ stewardess

congressman

salesman

repairman

foreman

mankind

meteorologist

businessperson, business executive

firefighter

server

flight attendant

congressperson, congressional

representative

salesperson, sales associate

repairperson

boss, leader, foreperson

humankind

A. Replace each boldfaced noun with the appropriate gender-neutral

noun.

Use the plural form of the noun when necessary.

1. Have you seen any salesmen ____________________ in this store?

I've been in here for 15 minutes, and I can't find anyone to help me.

2. The invention of the automobile had an enormous effect on the

development of mankind ________________________.

3. Our congressman ___________________ gave a speech in front

of city hall to encourage people to vote for her in the election next

month.

4. John is the foreman ____________________ here. He'll show you

around when you start work tomorrow.

5. The stewardesses _____________________ have asked us to

stay seated until the plane comes to a complete stop.

B. Match each gender-biased term with its gender-neutral form.

1. _____chairman a. news reporter

2. _____brotherhood b. prehistoric person

3. _____anchorman c. childcare provider

4. _____cowboy d. kinship

5. _____manning e. chairperson

6. _____caveman f. rancher

7. _____nanny g. staffing

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

C. Complete each sentence with a noun from the box on page 20 or

from Activity B. Use the plural form of the noun when necessary.

1. My neighbor's kitchen caught fire yesterday. Ten

_____________ came and put the fire out.

2. Will you call a ___________________ ? The washing machine

is broken again.

3. You'd better wear a warm coat. The ______________ on the

news said it's going to snow tonight.

4. Hi, I'm Alan and I ' ll be your _______________ this evening.

Can I start you off with something to drink?

5. Someone left a briefcase under the table. I saw three

__________ having a meeting here a minute ago. It might belong

to one of them.

6. We need to increase _______________ in our warehouse. We

don't have enough employees to keep up with the workload.

7. Jan decided to go back to work after she had a baby, so she

hired a _____________________.

8. The archaeologists found evidence that ________________

lived in the area over 10,000 years ago.

9. I need a _________ to help me with this dress. I 'm not sure

what size I wear.

10. I feel a strong __________________ with my friend Elena.

She's like a sister to me.

Reading Skill

Supporting Main Ideas

Writers usually focus on a few main ideas in a piece of writing. Then

they use interesting details and examples to support these main points.

These supporting details and examples help the reader to

understand and appreciate the writer's main ideas.

Example

It could be worse. (main idea) In some languages most nouns have

different forms for different sexes. (supporting detail) For example,

Spanish, a male lawyer is an abogado, and a female lawyer is an

abogada.

(supporting example)

A. Analyze the Reading

Find these sentences in the reading. Write M next to the main ideas and

S next to the supporting details and examples.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

1. __ In Hebrew, raa means "saw" for masculine subjects, while raata

means "saw" for feminine subjects.

2. __ Furthermore, in some languages, even verbs can have different

forms, depending on the sex of their subject.

3. __ Even in English, there used to be more female-· specific nouns

than there are now.

4. __Take the word "author:'

5. __ Her point is that sexism in society makes it easy to send messages

in our word choice that we don't intend to send.

6. __ unfortunately, even if you follow this guideline of using

genderneutral noun forms in most cases, and gender-specific nouns only

when sex is relevant, the problem remains.

7. __ Another case in point: "actress:'

8. __In these cases, avoid referring to a person's sex if possible, and if

it's not, carefully assess the usage of your audience.

B. Apply the Reading Skill

Read the article below. Fill in each blank with a supporting detail or

example from the list.

• In English, there are certain terms that you may want to avoid

when referring to people's ethnicities or economic status.

• There are also politically correct terms for different groups of

people.

• Your audience may be less likely to want to hear what you have

to say or read what you have to write if your language is

potentially offensive.

• It's also important to refer to adult women as "women" rather

than "girls."

• Instead, you should use the word "Asian;' or the term for people

from a specific country, such as "Japanese" or "Korean:'

Watch Your Language

To communicate your ideas clearly, it's not only important to use the

right vocabulary, it's also important not to use words that might offend

your audience.

1________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

In recent decades, this fact has brought about the necessity of politically

correct terminology.

2________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

For example, the term "oriental" is offensive to some people.

3________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

When referring to the native people of North America, the term "Indian"

is considered politically incorrect and has been replaced with the term

"Native American." And when referring to countries that don't have a lot

of money or industry, the term "developing country" is preferred over

"third-world country."

4________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

For example, people don’t use the term "handicapped person" anymore.

Instead, they use the phrase "people with disabilities." When referring

to elderly people, it's more polite to say "seniors" than "old people."

5________________________________________________________

_________________________________________________________

Of course, sometimes you may find yourself talking to a group of people

who aren't bothered by these terms that are considered politically

incorrect, and you yourself might not find these terms offensive. But it's

still useful to be aware of the differences for those times when your

audience is sensitive to politically incorrect terminology.

Discussion & Writing

1. Language is constantly changing. New words are always being

introduced, and existing words often start being used in new ways. For

example, young people often use words and expressions that their parents

don't understand.

With a partner, make a list of these words and expressions. You can include

examples from English or any other language that you know.

___________________ ______________________

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

LISTENING PRACTICE

GIVING DIRECTIONS

Do the preparation exercise before you listen. Then, look at the

map and listen to the directions while you do the other exercises

Write the place that the speaker gives directions to.

A. Write the place that the speaker gives directions to ___________

B. The speaker gives directions to the ___________

C. The speaker gives directions to the ___________

D. The speaker gives directions to the ___________

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

GRAMMAR REVIEW

Simple Present Story 1

Who is he? Where is he? What does he do?

Hank is a cowboy. He lives on a farm. He has a horse named Ginger.

Hank

loves Ginger. He rides Ginger every day. Sometimes they walk

slowly, and

sometimes they run fast. They always have a good time.

Ginger is Hank’s horse. She is light brown. Her tail and mane are

dark brown. She is three years old. She lives in the stable by the house.

Ginger waits for Hank every morning. She enjoys their time together.

Often, Hank gives her apples. After long rides, Hank always washes and

brushes Ginger. He usually brushes her tail. Then he gives her food and

fresh water.

Ginger loves Hank.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Simple Present Story 1 – Exercises

Answer the following questions. Use the Simple Present tense.

Where does Hank live? What does he do every day?

Who is Ginger? Where does Ginger live?

What does Hank often give Ginger? What does Hank do after long rides?

Rewrite the following sentences as negative sentences,

yes/no

questions, WH-questions (using the underlined word or

phrase) and tag

questions.

Hank loves Ginger.

Negative:

ion

WH-Question:

Tag Question:

Examples for the sentence “Jack sweeps the floor.”

Negative: Jack does not sweep the floor.

Yes/No Question: Does Jack sweep the floor?

WH-Question: Who sweeps the floor?

Tag Question: Jack sweeps the floor, doesn’t he?

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

She is three years old.

Negative:

ion

WH-Question:

Tag Question:

She enjoys their time together.

Negative:

ion

WH-Question:

Tag Question:

A JOKE

Have you ever been guilty of looking at others your own age and thinking, surely I can't

look that old. Well, you'll love this one....

My name is Alice Smith and I was sitting in the waiting room for my first appointment with a

new dentist. I noticed his diploma, which had his full name.

Suddenly, I remembered a tall, handsome, dark-haired boy with the same name had been

in my high school class some 30-odd years ago. Could he be the same guy that i had a

secret crush on, way back then?

Upon seeing him, however, I quickly discarded any such thought. This balding, gray-haired

man with the deeply lined face was way too old to have been my classmate.

After he examined my teeth, I asked him if he had attended Morgan Park High school.

'Yes. Yes, I did.' he gleamed with pride.

'When did you graduate?' I asked.

He answered, 'In 1967. Why do you ask?'

'You were in my class!' I exclaimed.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

He looked at me closely. Then, that ugly, old, bald, wrinkled, fat, gray-haired man asked,

'What did you teach?'

SLANG

I am bursting

I´ve eaten a lot and I can´t eat more.

I am starving

I´m extremely tired.

I am stuffed

I´m angry about something.

I am wrecked

I need to go to the toilet very soon

I am pissed off

I am very good & happy

I am great

I am extremely hungry.

Gonna

Going to

Girl, I´m gonna miss you.

wanna

Want to

I wanna hold your hand

gotta

´ve got to/a

You gotta be my girl

Gimme

Give me

Gimme your heart, babe

Lemme

Let me

Lemme take you home

I´ma

I´m going to

I´ma be ok without you.

Outta

Out of / to

She got me outta my mind

Kinda

Kind of

You´re my kinda girl.

Dunno

Don´t know

I dunno how to love you.

Shoulda

Should have

I shoulda told you.

Write a sentences using the slangs.

1. _____________________________________________

2. _____________________________________________

3. _____________________________________________

4. _____________________________________________

5. _____________________________________________

6. _____________________________________________

7. _____________________________________________

8. _____________________________________________

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

9. _____________________________________________

10. _____________________________________________

ORAL PRACTICE

Personality Interview

Questions Answer (Yes/No) Example (if yes)

1. Are you outgoing?

2. Are you friendly ?

3. Are you forgetful ?

4. Are you creative ?

5. Are you a patient person?

6. Are you sometimes impatient ?

7. Are you hardworking ?

8. Are you confident ?

9. Are you shy ?

10. Are you talkative ?

Write a short report about the student you interviewed.

I think a good job for my friend would be _________________________________

for three reasons.

1. _________________________________________________________

2. _________________________________________________________

3. _________________________________________________________

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Good For You

Meaning/Usage: Expressing that you are happy for a person

Explanation: This is pretty literal. However, this can be used sarcastically.

"Good for you, you finally passed your test."

"I heard you got accepted to college, good for you."

"I heard you got married recently, good for you."

A. "I was really surprised when I was offered the promotion."

B. "Why is that?"

A. "I just figured it would go to someone with more experience."

B. "Good for you, you deserve it as much as anyone."

Other Common Sentences

"I am proud of you."

"All credit goes to you."

WRITE 3 EXAMPLES

__________________________________________________________________

DEBATE

Steps for preparing a debate with a class

Opening Statements and Arguments

Opening statements are critical to a successful debate, because they

allow both sides -- those in favor of a position and those who oppose it -

- to grab the audience's attention. The affirmative side -- also known as

the side that's supporting the topic or issue -- always gives its opening

statement first. Structured debates have a time limit for opening

statements, such as four minutes for the side presenting the affirmative

case, followed by four minutes for the side presenting the negative case.

Opening statements set the tone for the debate and should include

the opinion, claim or idea you plan to support and a short

summary of your supporting evidence, suggests the University of

North Carolina School of Education. After the opening statements, each

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

side presents its arguments in more detail and provides statistical

information, examples and expert opinions to back its views. Once

again, the affirmative side presents its arguments first.

Formal Rebuttals

Once both sides clearly identify and explain their points, each side has

the opportunity to express why it believes the other's arguments are

weak or invalid -- this process is known as the "rebuttal." The opposing

side offers its rebuttal first. You might start your rebuttal with:

"My opponent's claims are wrong for several reasons." Or, "My

research shows that my opponent's views lack credibility."

After each side issues its rebuttal, and depending on the moderator or

the judge's format for the debate, each side may have another chance

to issue a rebuttal -- technically known as a "second rebuttal." Neither

side is allowed to present new information to support its case during the

rebuttal.

Question & Answer Sessions

Some debates have a question-and-answer session, in which each side

asks its opponent questions. The purpose of cross-examination is to

clarify your opponents' arguments, force them to commit to a specific

position on vague issues, bring up any fallacies or errors with their

arguments and discuss shortcomings with their evidence, according to

the International Debate Education Association. The cross-examination

generally takes place after each side presents its arguments, but before

the rebuttal stage. Ask your teacher or the debate host when and if a

question-and-answer session will occur. You might start your cross-

examination by asking:

"Could you please repeat and explain your first

argument?" Or, "Could you clarify where you got the statistical

information to back your findings?"

The goal of a Q&A session is to ensure that both sides correctly

understand the opposition's arguments, so they can create and argue

their best defense.

Closing Statements

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Closing statements help each side summarize its main arguments

and stress its most critical points. They also allow you to remind the

judges of your opponent's shortcomings. The affirmative side presents

its closing arguments first. The aim is to persuasively convince your

audience that you have solid evidence to back your arguments and that

your opponent's views come up short. Leave a lasting impression

by ending with a compelling example or a powerful analogy.

Detail any negative consequences that could result if your position isn't

heeded or accepted.

DEBATE TOPIC

Breeding dogs should be ended or curtailed

Many dog owners feel their dog is so cute that they need to fill the world

with dogs just like her, and some want to sell litters for the money.

However grand your reason is for wanting to breed your dog, it is

important to realise that breeding can have serious medical effects

generating unexpected expenses. Responsible and professional dog

breeding may be thought to be admirable but letting puppies multiply in

a backyard is not. Because of the pet overpopulation problem on our

planet, and the needless deaths of abandoned and unwanted dogs,

perhaps a moratorium should be called on dog breeding.

Points For

Points Against

It is a great opportunity for our

children to witness birth and the life

cycle of an animal.

Don’t breed just because you

think it would be good

“education” for your children.

If something goes wrong, it

can traumatize a child.

Children can get good

education from watching

Animal Planet. There’s no

need to put their own

beloved pet at risk.

Dog breeding is a great business to

start. You can make a lot of money.

People are keen to have specific dog

breeds to show their status.

Dog breeding is not a large

moneymaking proposition

when done correctly. Health

care, vaccinations, proof of

quality, extra food, facilities,

stud fees, and advertising

are all costly and must be

paid before the pups can be

sold. An unexpected

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Caesarean or emergency

intensive care for a sick pup

will make a break-even litter

become a major problem.

And this is if you are lucky

enough to sell all the pups.

A dog will have a better temperament

if we breed her - First, if the dog has a

bad temperament, never breed the

animal in the hopes of improving it.

Usually, hereditary issues affect an

animal's temperament and breeding a

dog with issues will only pass them to

its offspring. It would be fulfilling to the

dog to produce a litter of puppies.

First, if the dog has a bad

temperament, never breed

the animal in the hopes of

improving it. Usually,

hereditary issues affect an

animal's temperament and

breeding a dog with issues

will only pass them to its

offspring. Perhaps the

dumbest reason of all. All

animals have a reproductive

instinct, but they have no

idea what is missing from

their life nor, do they feel

regret or guilt.

Useful language to use in formal

debates

In general, you would need to come up with 4-5 main arguments to

support your team’s debating position. It's also important to remember

to also anticipate the opposition’s arguments to help you defend your

team’s point of view.

Building your Argument

Introducing your point: To begin with… First of all… Connecting your

points: Also… Furthermore… What’s more…

Showing importance: More importantly… What’s worse… Above all else…

Giving examples: For instance… For example…

Opinions, Preferences:

In my opinion..., The way I see it..., As far as I'm concerned..., If it

were up to me..., I suppose..., I suspect that..., I'm pretty sure that..., I

honestly feel that, Without a doubt…,

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Disagreeing:

Don't you think it would be better..., Shouldn't we consider..., But what

about..., I'm afraid I don't agree..., Frankly, I doubt if..., The truth of

the matter is..., The problem with your point of view is that..., It’s a fact

that…, According to …, The reality of the situation is…, The numbers

show that…, The fact is this:…,

Partially agreeing:

I agree with you to a point however…, I see where you are coming from

but…, I see what you are saying but …,

Delaying Strategies

I can’t answer that directly..., I’ll need time to think about that..., That’s

a very interesting question, because…, That’s a difficult question to

answer,

Asking someone to repeat

Pardon me? Pardon? Excuse me? Sorry? I’m sorry? I beg your pardon?

Holding the floor

Hold on..., Hold on a second..., Yes, I was about to mention that....,

Well, I was about to come to that..., Sorry, I haven’t finished yet ., I

haven’t made my point yet …

Expressing solutions and alternatives

The solution is to…, Then you will…, The best way to … is …, To …, you

really have to …., There are many choices....,

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

LISTENING PRACTICE

Going to the cinema

Tamara: Hi, Mario. __________________ to go and watch a film?

Mario: Hi, Tamara. Sure, what’s on?

Tamara: Well, _______________ two action films, Mr and Mrs

Jones and War Games, and they’re both in 3D.

Mario: I’ve already seen Mr and Mrs Jones. I _____________ War

Games, but I don’t really want to see an action film. What else is

on?

Tamara: There’s that science fiction film, Robot 2075, but I’ve

_________________________________ it.

Mario: Is it good?

Tamara: Yes, it is, but ____________________________ to see

it again. There’s a romantic comedy called Forever.

Mario: Mmm, I’m not sure. _____________ any horror films on?

Tamara: Yes, there’s Midnight Moon. It’s got vampires in it.

Mario: OK, sounds good. Let’s go and watch Midnight Moon.

____________________________________on?

Tamara: It’s on at 12 o’clock or at half past two.

Mario: Is it on this ____________________?

Tamara: Yes, at 7:30.

Mario: Perfect. Let’s go at 7:30.

Tamara: OK, shall we meet at the cinema at 7:00?

Mario: Great! _____________________.

Tamara: Bye.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

GRAMMAR REVIEW

Simple Past Story 2

Who is she? What did she do? What happened?

Last week, Beth baked a cake for Lilly's birthday party. Lilly wanted

a strawberry cake with pink frosting. Beth was happy to bake the

cake.

First, Beth mixed the ingredients in a big bowl. Next, she poured the

cake batter into four round baking pans. She put the pans in the oven.

Finally, she baked the cakes for 20 minutes.

Then, Beth prepared the pink frosting. After the cakes cooled, Beth

stacked

them and covered them with frosting. Beth wrote Lilly's name

on top with white frosting. She put seven candles in the cake.

On Sunday, Beth surprised Lilly with the strawberry cake. Lilly loved

her cake! Lilly had many gifts for her birthday. But Lilly said her cake

was the best gift of them all!

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Simple Past Story 2

–

Exercises

Answer the following questions. Use the Simple Past tense.

What kind of cake did Lilly want for her birthday? Who baked the cake?

What did Beth do first? How long did she bake the cakes?

What did Beth do on Sunday? How did Lilly feel about her cake?

Rewrite the following sentences as negative sentences, yes/no

questions, WH-questions (using the underlined word or phrase) and

tag

questions.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Beth mixed the ingredients in a big bowl.

Negative

Yes/No Question:

WH-Question:

Tag Question:

She put the pans in the oven.

Negative:

Yes/No Question:

WH-Question:

Tag Question:

Lilly loved her cake!

Negative:

Yes/No Question:

WH-Question:

Tag Question:

Examples for the sentence “Amanda washed the dishes.”

Negative: Amanda did not wash the dishes.

Yes/No Question: Did Amanda wash the dishes?

WH-Question: Who washed the dishes?

Tag Question: Amanda washed the dishes, didn't she?

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

JOKE

The doctor tells his patient: "Well I have good news and bad news..."

The patient says, "Lay it on me Doc. What's the bad news?"

"You have Alzheimer's disease."

"Good heavens! What's the good news?"

"You can go home and forget about it!"

Hearing problems

Seems an elderly gentleman had serious hearing problems for a number

of years.

He went to the doctor and the doctor was able to have him fitted for a

set of hearing aids that allowed the gentleman to hear 100%.

The elderly gentleman went back in a month to the doctor and the

doctor said, "Your hearing is perfect. Your family must be really pleased

that you can hear again."

To which the gentleman said, "Oh, I haven't told my family yet. I just sit

around and listen to the conversations. I've changed my will three

times!"

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Good Luck

Meaning/Usage: Wishing someone well. Also can mean that it is not possible.

Explanation: The literal definition of wishing someone well is very literal. It is

used very frequently in this way. However, another popular way this phrase is

used is when you don't think a person can do something. The third sentence below

is an example of this.

"Good luck on your interview tomorrow."

"I heard you're going to look for a new house, good luck."

"Good luck trying to find a better deal than this one."

A. "My son has his first baseball game tonight."

B. "Is he nervous?"

A. "He is actually very excited for it."

B. "Tell him we said good luck!"

Other Common Sentences

"I wish you the best."

"Hope you do well."

WRITE 3 EXAMPLES

__________________________________________________________________

Your Negative Attitude Can Hurt Your

Career

In any situation-a cafe, the subway, a movie theater-you don't want

to be that guy ( or gal). There is no strict definition of what it means to

be that person, but usually it refers to the person who stands out for all

the wrong reasons.

5 In a cafe, it's the guy who won't stop hitting on you.

In the subway, it's the woman who eats a cheeseburger and fries, filling

the entire car with an onion aroma.

At the movies, it's the patron who leaves her cell phone ringer on.

Wherever you are, you don't want to be that person. Especially at work.

10 Of course, at work you'll find plenty of bad traits: the gossip, the

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

chronically tardy person, the kiss-up,2 and everyone else you try to

avoid.

Perhaps the one type you want to avoid (hanging around and being)

more than any other is the negative person. The negative person hates

everything. Every task is too lowly; every meeting lasts too long; every

15 co-worker is too dumb. Nary3 a word passes through his or her lips

that's not dripping with sarcasm.

If you realize that you are this furrow-browed4 employee, the chorus

of sighs and complaints, accented with eye rolls, will earn you the worst

reputation of everyone. And whether or not you're aware, your boss will

20 notice, too.

First Impressions Count

One reason interviews cause job seekers so much anxiety is the need

to make a favorable first impression. Although qualifications make up

the bulk of the hiring decision, employers are also looking at the kind of

25 attitude you display to determine whether or not you'd be an asset to

the organization. Lauren Milligan, host of the business radio show "Livin'

the Dream:' advises job seekers to temper any negativity they have

involving their previous jobs.

I hitting on you trying to talk to you because he's attracted to you

2 kiss-up someone who is especially friendly to the boss in the hope of receiving special

treatment

3 nary not one

4 furrow-browed always frowning and looking unhappy

"During an interview, a common question posed to the candidate is,

30 'What problems did you encounter in your previous job?' A negative

employee will use this time to talk about their boss, co-workers, job

functions-anything that didn't sit quite well with [him or her]:'s Milligan

says. "Don't do that! A positive employee will see this question as a

chance to talk about a difficult situation and how they turned it into a

good experience:'

The clichéd business advice of bringing your boss solutions, not

problems, is actually true.

"Negative employees think of how problems affect them, while positive

employees think of how they can solve a challenge;' Milligan says.

40 Everyday Behavior

Of course, maintaining an upbeat attitude for 30 minutes or an hour

during an interview is far easier than fighting off grumpiness every day.

You'll probably have to vent once in a while because some days will be

bigger pains than others, and few people would hold that against you.

45 Habitual negativity is a problem because it can quickly become your

trademark7 and overshadow any accomplishments. And in a tough

job market, when workers are feeling stressed and employers consider

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

trimming head count, 8 you don't want to be remembered for being the

local sourpuss.

50 "In this recession, people are having to do more with less-that's

just a fact:' Milligan says. "If you're the employee that complains about

clients or the workload or the commute or the manager-and you seek

out opportunities to talk about your misery-this will definitely pose a

problem with your employer and co-workers:' Just as damaging can be

55 your tendency to arrive late and leave early.

Helen T. Cooke is the marketing director of Cooke Consulting Group,

where she coaches and teaches clients about team development. She

agrees that behavior affects others' perceptions of us.

"The nonverbals will always prevail if we're trying to mask9 negativity.

60 For example, the employee makes a comment that sounds OK, but the

facial expressions and/ or body language make it clear that she or he

isn't on board:' 10 Cooke explains. "If you are not feeling enthusiastic in

general, consider what is within your control, primarily, and secondarily

what is within your ability to influence. Make positive changes in those

65 two arenas:'

5 anything that didn't sit quite well with [him or her] anything he or she was unhappy or

dissatisfied with

6 hold that against you think badly of you for that; judge you for that

7 trademark the quality or behavior that you are known for

8 trimming head count reducing the number of employees

9 mask hide

10 on board in agreement

In your quest to compensate for a lack of enthusiasm, you don't need

to become the resident cheerleader, either. Your boss will probably

sense insincerity if she tells you to report at 7 a.m. tomorrow for a

meeting and you react with a cheer of approval. Learn to say, "Sure:'

without emitting

70 a long sigh as you walk away.

Remember, People Do Talk Not everything you do should be dictated by

other people's opinions, but when you work in a group environment, you

can't ignore their influence on your career either. If every smile you

flash to the boss

75 morphs 11 into a disgruntled rant to a co-worker, word of your attitude

will get around. Some bosses might dismiss it as gossip, but others will

take it to heart.

According to Cooke, a manager who senses that negativity is

permeating the workplace will likely address the issue, which could hurt

the naysayer's

80 salary increase, bonus, or chances for promotion.

"Management realizes that they can maximize their productivity

and therefore their bottom line12 by cultivating a healthy, robust

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

organizational culture;' Cooke says. "Negativity can poison the air in the

workplace and create a downward spiral for the workers. This is exactly

85 what is not needed during already challenging times with the current

stateof the marketplace and the economy:

Milligan agrees with Cooke, and points out that most bosses hearing

about a negative attitude will distinguish between petty gossip and a

sincere concern about morale.

90 "No one likes a tattletale, 13 whether it's in grade school or the

workplace:'

Milligan explains. "However, if an employee's attitude is causing enough

of a problem to where it needs to be addressed, then it becomes the

manager's job to properly deal with it. Sometimes managers aren't in

a position to witness negativity coming from their staff, which is why

95 the motives of the 'messenger' must be taken into consideration. A good

manager who is cued in to the team will certainly not want one person's

attitude affecting everyone else:'

Remember that not every aspect of a job will be fun and exciting. And

sometimes you will want to roll your eyes when the boss isn't looking,

100 but make it an exception, not a habit. After all, you don't want to be

that person.

11 morphs changes, transforms

12 bottom line Line in a financial statement that shows the net income or profit

13 tattletale someone who tells an authority figure what someone else has done wrong

After You Read

Understanding the Text

A. Comprehension

For each item below, fill in the correct circle.

Identifying the Author's Purpose (the purpose of the article is to __ .

A. persuacte

B. tell a personal story

C. entertain

D. educate

2. Finding the Main Idea The main idea of the reading is that __ .

A. people don't like to be around negative co-workers

B. you should be positive at work if you want to be successful

C. your attitude isn't as important as your skills in the workplace

D. negative employees are not likely to get pay raises and

promotions

3. Scanning for Details The author says that when an interviewer asks

you about problems at your previous job, you should __ .

A. be honest and tell him or her about the problems you had

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

B. say that you enjoyed your last job and you never had any

problems there

C. talk about problems you had with job functions, but not about

problems you had with your boss or co-workers

D. describe how you turned a problem into a positive experience

4. Scanning for Details According to the author, it's OK to __ .

A. complain once in a while

B. gossip once in a while

C. be late for work as long as you have a positive attitude

D. be positive now and then

5. Scanning for Details The author says that it's important to be positive

in your __ .

speech, writing, and facial expressions

body language and speech

body language, speech, and writing

body language, speech, and facial expressions

6. Scanning for Details The author suggests that if you are feeling negative

about your job, you should _.

A. try to make changes where you can

B. look for a new job that you'll like better

C. tell your manager what you're unhappy about

D. ask your co-workers to help you create a more positive work

environment

B. Vocabulary

Underline these words in the reading passage on pages 27-29. Then match

the words with their definitions.

1. attitude

a. the way that you think, feel, or behave

2. habitual

b. to reduce the bad effect of something; to make

up for something

3. encounter

c. a likelihood or habit of behaving a certain way

4. reputation

d. to experience something

5. compensate

e. regular; done very often

6. tendency

f.an opinion that people in general have about

what somebody or something is like

C. Consider the Issues

Think about how your own or someone else's negativity can have an effect

on different situations. Work with a partner to complete the chart below.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Situation

Effects of Negativity

1. You and your friends are trying to

decide what to do over the weekend.

2. You're on vacation with your family.

3. You're in a busy store, paying for

something.

4. You are talking to a phone

company representative to report an

error on your bill.

5. You're working in a group for a

class project.

Building Vocabulary

Using Synonyms and Antonyms

Synonyms are pairs of words that are similar in meaning. For example,

problem and difficulty are synonyms.

Antonyms have opposite or nearly opposite meanings. For example,

positive and negative are antonyms.

Writers often use synonyms to avoid repeating the same word several

times.

Example

A positive employee will ... talk about a difficult situation and how they

turned it into a good experience.

Writers sometimes use antonyms to contrast two ideas.

Example

The clichéd business advice of bringing your boss solutions, not

problems, is actually true.

A. Number the paragraphs in the article from 1 to 23. Then find the

words below.

I. Find a synonym for problem in paragraph 11. _________________

2. Find a synonym for positive in paragraph 12. _________________

3. Find an antonym for positivity in paragraph 12. _________________

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

4. Find a synonym for actions in paragraph 15. _________________

5. Find an antonym for negative in paragraph 16. _________________

6. Find a synonym for complaint in paragraph 18. _________________

7. Find an antonym for habit in paragraph 23. _________________

8. Find two synonyms for negative person in paragraphs 13 and 19.

_________________, _________________

Complete the chart with the words in the box.

achievement complete inquiry

answer conceal insecure

boring funny make

clear impact self-assured

common inadequate spend

Word

Synonym

Antonym

1. success failure

failure

2. question

3. confusing

puzzling

4. confident

S. amusing

6. show express

express

7. effect cause

cause

8. earn

9. thorough

10. familiar strange

strange

C. Replace each word in parentheses with its synonym or antonym. Pay

attention to the context of the sentences to decide which is necessary.

1. It's important to be positive at work. If you're (positive) ___________ all

the time, you can hurt your chances for a promotion or raise.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

2. Don't think that you can (show) ____________ your negativity by saying

things you don't mean. If you're not happy about something, it will be

apparent in your body language.

3. Pay attention to your co-workers' opinions of you. The way they feel

about you can have a big (effect) _______________ on your job.

4. Employers like workers who can come up with (challenges) better than

workers who just complain about problems.

5. You want people to recognize your (achievements) _____ at work,

not your negative attitude.

Reading Sl<ill

Scanning for Specific Information

When you need to find specific information in a text, you should scan the

text rather than read every word. In other words, move your eyes very

quickly across the text, stopping only to "pick up" the information you are

looking for.

For example, scan the paragraph below to find four types of people. Notice

that you don't need to read every word to find this information.

"Of course, at work you'll find plenty of bad traits. The gossip, the

chronically tardy person, the kiss-up, and everyone else you try to avoid.

Perhaps the one type you want to avoid (hanging around and being)

more than any other is the negative person. The negative person hates

everything:'

A. Analyze the Reading

Scan the reading on pages 27-29 to answer the questions below.

Remember to look quickly over the text without reading every word.,

I. What is one reason interviews make job seekers anxious?

2. Who is Lauren Milligan?

3. What is a common interview question?

4. Why can habitual negativity become a problem?

5. What is Helen T. Cooke's job?

6. What does Cooke do at her job?

7. What do Milligan and Cooke agree about?

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

B. Apply the Reading Skill

Scan the article below to find answers to these questions.

1. Who did research on positive thinking?

2. What are four health benefits of optimism?

3. What does the term "self-talk" refer to?

4. What is one example of positive self-talk?

5. What is one example of negative self-talk?

Self-Talk for Health

When you wake up in the morning, do you assume that you're going to

have a great day or that you're going to have a difficult day? If you have

normally have positive expectations, you might consider yourself an

optimist, and if your expectations are usually negative, you may be a

pessimist.

According to research done by the Mayo Clinic, optimism can have a

strong positive effect on your health. Their research shows that

optimists may live longer, get colds less often, and be less likely to

suffer from cardiovascular disease .. Optimists may even deal

with stress better than pessimists do.

If you think you might be a pessimist and would like to try to be more

optimistic, pay attention to what some call "self-talk." The term "self-

talk" refers to the automatic thoughts that go through your head all the

time. You know-the ideas, worries, beliefs, and hopes that run through

your mind as you're driving, washing dishes, folding laundry. Are

those thoughts negative like, "Everyone knows so much more than I

do," or positive like, "I'm learning a lot at this job"?

If your self-talk is negative, there are some things you can do to steer it

in a more positive direction. First, you can simply stop your negative

self-talk. Every time you catch yourself thinking something negative,

you can stop yourself by actually saying, "Stop," out loud. Alternatively,

you can revise your self-talk. For example , if you catch yourself saying ,

'Tm terrible at giving presentati ons ," revise that to a question like,

"How can I improve my presentation skills?'' Another idea is to think of

yourself as a friend. When you "hear" a negative sentence go through

your mind, think about whether or not you would feel comfortable

saying it to a friend. If the sentence seems too mean to say to a friend,

think about what would sound better.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Discussion & Writing

Think about a time when someone else's negative attitude had an effect on

you or the group you were with. Then complete the chart.

Where were you?

What were you doing?

What kind of negative behavior did

the person display?

How did this person's negative attitude

affect you or your group?

What could you have done to make

the

situation more positive?

SAMPLE TEST

KEY ENGLISH TEST

READING

Questions 1 – 5

For each question, choose the correct answer.

PART 1

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

A. All campers must reserve a place in

advance.

B. Groups bigger than four are not allowed

on this site.

C. Groups of more than three should

contact the campsite before arriving.

A.Those who don’t pay punctually won’t be

able to go to Oxford.

B.There are very few places left on the

Oxford trip.

C.This is the last chance for students to

A You must have signed permission to take

part in sports day.

B You have to limit the number of sports

day races you take part in.

C You need to write your name here to get

more information about sports day.

A It is essential to have more actors even

ifthey haven’t acted before.

B It is important for all actors to have

training before being involved in the play.

C It is necessary to find a new director to

train the actors.

A Students must write detailed notes on

this week’s experiment.

B Students should check that their work

last term was done accurately.

C Students need to look at previous work

while doing an experiment.

HOLLINS FARM CAMPSITE

No groups of 4 or more

Unless by previous arrangement

School sports day

If interested in taking part, please sing

below but note you are permitted to

enter no more than two races.

School play

Actors urgently required by director;

previous experience welcome but not

essential as training will be provided if

needed.

Biology class on Thursday

Please remember to bring last term’s

work to the lesson as you need to have

your notes with you to help you do an

experiment.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

PART 2

Questions 6 – 10

For each question, choose the correct answer.

The young people below all want to do a cycling course during their

school holidays.

On the opposite page there are descriptions of eight cycling courses.

Decide which course would be the most suitable for the people below.

Nancy is fourteen and cycles quite well. She needs

to learn how to cycle safely from her home to

school on busy city roads. She’s only free at the

weekends.

Markus is an excellent cyclist and he wants the

excitement of riding on countryside and woodland

tracks. He’d also like to learn more about looking

after his bike. He can’t attend a morning course.

Ellie is nine and knows how to ride her bike, but

isn’t confident about starting and stopping. She’d

love to meet other cyclists with a similar ability and

have fun with them.

Leo can’t cycle yet, and wants to learn on his own

with the teacher. He’d prefer a course with

sessions twice a week. He’d also like some

practical information about cycling clothes and

equipment.

Josh is eleven and a skilled cyclist. He’s keen to

learn to do exciting cycling tricks in a safe

environment. He’d like to be with people of a

similar age.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Cycling Courses

A Two Wheels Good!

Mountains! Rivers! Forests!

Our ‘off-road’ course offers you the

chance to get out of the city. You’ll

need very good cycling skills and

confidence. You will be with others

of the same ability. Expert advice on

keeping your bike in good condition

also included.

Mondays 2.00 pm–6.00 pm or Fridays

3.00 pm–7.00 pm.

B On Your Bike!

Can’t ride a bike yet, but really

want to? Don’t worry. Our

beginners-only group (4-10

pupils per group) is just what

you’re looking for. Excellent

teaching in safe surroundings.

Makes learning to cycle fun,

exciting and easy.

Mondays 9.00 am–11.00 am and

Thursdays 2.00 pm–4.00 pm.

C Fun and Games

Do you want some adventure? Find

out how to do ‘wheelies’ (riding on one

wheel), ‘rampers’ (cycling off low

walls), ‘spins’ and much more… We

offer a secure practice ground,

excellent trainers and loads of fun

equipment. Wear suitable clothes.

Only for advanced cyclists.

(Age 11–12)

Saturdays 1.00 pm–4.00 pm.

D Pedal Power

A course for able cyclists. We

specialise in teaching riders of all

ages how to manage difficult

situations in heavy traffic in towns

and cities. We guarantee that by the

end of the course, no roundabout or

crossroads will worry you!

Saturdays 2.00 pm–4.00 pm.

E Cycling 4 U

Not a beginner, but need plenty of

practice? This course offers practical

help with the basics of balancing and

using your brakes safely. You’ll be in a

group of pupils of the same level.

Improve your cycling skills and enjoy

yourself at the same time! Open to all

children up to the age of ten.

Sundays 10.00 am–12.00 pm.

F Bike Doctors

Have you been doing too many tricks on

your bike? Taken it up mountains and

through rivers? Then it probably needs

some tender loving care. Bike Doctors

teach you to maintain and repair your

bike. (Some basic equipment required.)

Ages 11-19 Tuesdays 9.00 am–12.00 pm or

Wednesdays 3.00 pm–6.00 pm.

G Safety First

We teach cycling safety for the city centre

and country lane biker. We’ll teach you the

skills you need to deal with all the vehicles

using our busy roads. All ages welcome from

10+. Thursdays 9.00 am–11.00 am.

H Setting Out

A course for absolute beginners

needing one-to-one instruction to get

off to a perfect start. We also give

advice on helmets, lights, what to

wear and much more. A fantastic

introduction to cycling! Mondays and

Tuesdays 9.00 am–11.00 am.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Part 3

Questions 11 – 15

For each question, choose the correct answer.

Play to win

16-year-old Harry Moore writes about his hobby, tennis.

My parents have always loved tennis and they’re members of a tennis club. My

older brother was really good at it and they supported him – taking him to lessons

all the time. So I guess when I announced that I wanted to be a tennis champion

when I grew up I just intended for them to notice me. My mother laughed. She

knew I couldn’t possibly be serious, I was just a 4-year-old kid!

Later, I joined the club’s junior coaching group and eventually took part in my first

proper contest, confident that my team would do well. We won, which was

fantastic, but I wasn’t so successful. I didn’t even want to be in the team photo

because I didn’t feel I deserved to be. When my coach asked what happened in my

final match, I didn’t know what to say. I couldn’t believe I’d lost – I knew I was the

better player. But every time I attacked, the other player defended brilliantly. I

couldn’t explain the result.

After that, I decided to listen more carefully to my coach because he had lots of

tips. I realised that you need the right attitude to be a winner. On court I have a

plan but sometimes the other guy will do something unexpected so I’ll change it. If I

lose a point, I do my best to forget it and find a way to win the next one.

At tournaments, it’s impossible to avoid players who explode in anger. Lots of

players can be negative – including myself sometimes. Once I got so angry that I

nearly broke my racket! But my coach has helped me develop ways to control

those feelings. After all, the judges have a hard job and you just have to accept

their decisions.

My coach demands that I train in the gym to make sure I’m strong right to the end

of a tournament. I’m getting good results: my shots are more accurate and I’m

beginning to realise that with hard work there’s a chance that I could be a

champion one day.

11 Harry thinks he said that he was going to be a tennis champion in order to

A please his parents.

B get some attention.

C annoy his older brother.

D persuade people that he was serious.

12 How did Harry feel after his first important competition?

A confused about his defeat.

B proud to be a member of the winning team.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

C ashamed of the way he treated another player.

D amazed that he had got so far in the tournament.

13 What does Harry try to remember when he’s on the court?

A Don’t let the other player surprise you.

B Follow your game plan.

C Respect the other player.

D Don’t keep thinking about your mistakes.

14 What does Harry say about his behaviour in tournaments?

A He broke his racket once when he was angry.

B He stays away from players who behave badly.

C He tries to keep calm during the game.

D He found it difficult to deal with one judge’s decisions.

15 What might a sports journalist write about Harry now?

Harry needs to believe in his own

abilities and stop depending on

good luck when he plays.

Harry has really grown up since his

first tournament and discovered

that tennis is a battle of minds not

just rackets.

Harry looked exhausted when he

finished his last match so maybe

he should think about working out.

Harry could be a great player but

he needs to find a coach to take

him all the way to the big

competitions.

Part 4

Questions 16 – 20

Five sentences have been removed from the text below.

For each question, choose the correct answer.

There are three extra sentences which you do not need to use.

Planting trees

by Mark Rotheram, aged 13

This spring, our teacher suggested we should get involved in a green

project and plant some trees around the school. Everyone thought it

was a great idea, so we started looking online for the best trees to buy.

16 x xx If we wanted them to grow properly, they had to be the right

type – but there were so many different ones available! So our teacher

suggested that we should look for trees that grew naturally in our part

of the world. 17 x xx They’d also be more suitable for the

wildlife here.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Then we had to think about the best place for planting the trees. We

learnt that trees are happiest where they have room to grow, with

plenty of space for their branches. The trees might get damaged close to

the school playgrounds, for example. 18 x xx Finally, we found a quiet

corner close to the school garden – perfect!

Once we’d planted the trees, we knew we had to look after them

carefully. We all took turns to check the leaves regularly and make sure

they had no strange spots or marks on them. 19 xx And we decided to

check the following spring in case the leaves turned yellow too soon, as

that could also mean the tree was sick.

We all knew that we wouldn’t be at the school anymore by the time the

trees grew tall, and that was a bit sad. But we’d planted the trees to

benefit not only the environment, but also future students at the school.

20 x xx And that thought really cheered us up!

A So we tried to avoid areas where students were very active.

B However, our parents did offer to help with the digging!

C That could mean the tree had a disease.

D But we soon found that choosing trees was quite complicated.

E It can be quite good for young trees, though.

F We knew they’d get as much pleasure from them as we had.

G But at least we were doing it in the right season.

H That way, the trees would be used to local conditions.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Who Cares

Meaning/Usage: To express something is not important to you.

Explanation: This phrase is usually used by itself when you are responding to a

statement someone made. The example sentences below show a full sentence to

provide more context, but it is normally used by itself.

"Who cares if they win or lose?"

"Who cares whether or not it rains."

"Who cares about what they think."

A. "Did you happen to watch the game last night?"

B. "No I was not home."

A. "I was just wondering who won?"

B. "Who cares, I don't really like either teams."

Other Common Sentences

"It doesn't matter."

"I do not care."

“What is freedom of expression? Without the freedom to

offend, it ceases to exist”

The quote perfectly sums up the never-ending debate about freedom of

speech and hate speech. It is a well-known fact that freedom of speech

and expression belongs to the group of fundamental human rights of

every person on this planet. Lately, we are witnessing the rising

concerns about hate speech, is it protected by this basic human right or

freedom of speech should have some limitations? Given the fact that

every individual is allowed to express thoughts and beliefs, banning the

negative comments would, in fact, deny his or her basic rights i.e.

freedom of speech.

Freedom of speech reinforces all other human rights, thus allowing

society to develop and progress at a constant rate. The ability to state

our opinion and speak freely is pivotal for any change in society.

Throughout the history, society evolved thanks to the individuals, great

thinkers, brave leaders, who were not scared to express their beliefs.

Back in time, those beliefs that were contrary to the typical “mindset”

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

would be considered as hate, a hatred towards their way of life, culture,

and tradition. The most reputable professors, experts, and campaigners

only confirm that free speech has always been used to fight for change,

for better times.

Besides reinforcement of other human rights, free speech is also

essential due to the ability to hear others and be heard at the same

time. We need to hear other people’s views as well as offering them our

own opinions. Unfortunately, one of the fastest-growing problems of our

society is that people rarely listen to others and acknowledge their takes

on certain topics if they don’t agree with them. We should feel

comfortable exchanging ideas and thoughts with those who have

opposing views. Experts agree that way there would be less “hate

speech” circling around.

We hear or read the term “hate speech” a lot, especially now with the

easy internet access and a multitude of social media websites to join. It

comes as no wonder why insulting comments and expressing negative

ideas are considered a threat to the humanity. A lot of people are anti-

Semitic, anti-Muslim, anti-gay marriage, and so on. Those who assume

hate speech is not a freedom of speech, primarily, focus on the

expression of a negative attitude towards certain people and ideas.

However, if we start banning people from expressing their beliefs, then

what comes next? After one thing, there always comes another and,

eventually, the mankind would live in fear of saying anything. The

reality is that the society has become oversensitive; everything one

does not agree with is considered insulting and branded as hate.

Finally, freedom of speech is the most important human right that every

individual has the right to exercise. This freedom comes with the ability

to express one’s opinion, regardless of its nature good or bad. What our

society needs today are not limitations of free speech, but making

efforts to establish dialogues between people with conflicting beliefs.

Listening and being heard will go a long way; that way we could build

bridges instead of burning them.

Now split the classroom into 2, create an argumentative essay

and have one group support the right of freedom of speech and

the other one is against the right of freedom of speech because

they consider to be hate speech.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

DEBATE

Mothers should stay at home

and look after children

Women are being bombarded with messages that they can 'have it all',

marriage, children and develop a career just so they can be seen as a

successful woman. There are consequences to pursuing these lifestyle

choices. Children are often looked after by a nanny, mothers are

working over-time at work, and family life is neglected. Others say that

paid work makes mothers happier and can, over long periods of time,

improves living standards. There are even more options to work part-time

or flexible hours which can allow mothers to continue their career choices

after childbirth.

Points For

Points Against

Day care has ruined families and

the development of children.

Some mothers are working such

long hours that their children

are being cared for nearly 40

hours per week. How can the

children develop? Why should

they suffer for their mother’s

career.

Women are not servants to their

family. They have their own lives

and are entitled to live their life as

they please. The pursuit of

happiness also applies to mothers.

Bonding with children is

important. When they are

separated how can this bond

develop and lead to a life-long

relationship.

Women already sacrifice much

during pregnancy, suffering back

pain, waiting for the baby for nine

months, and then giving birth.

Men can not just have a laid back

life while women are doing all the

work.

Women are leaders in the home.

Without mothers living at home

who would create the family? In

most instance in nature if is the

mother what cultivates a

productive family life.

Some need work. We are not all

fortunate enough to able to have

a stable financial life with just one

parent working. Money is a

significant deciding factor.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Useful language to use

in formal debates

In general, you would need to come up with 4-5 main arguments to

support your team’s debating position. It's also important to remember

to also anticipate the opposition’s arguments to help you defend your

team’s point of view.

Building your Argument

Introducing your point: To begin with… First of all…

Connecting your points: Also… Furthermore… What’s more…

Showing importance: More importantly… What’s worse… Above all else…

Giving examples: For instance… For example…

Opinions, Preferences:

In my opinion..., The way I see it..., As far as I'm concerned..., If it

were up to me..., I suppose..., I suspect that..., I'm pretty sure that..., I

honestly feel that, Without a doubt…,

Disagreeing:

Don't you think it would be better..., Shouldn't we consider..., But what

about..., I'm afraid I don't agree..., Frankly, I doubt if..., The truth of

the matter is..., The problem with your point of view is that..., It’s a fact

that…, According to …, The reality of the situation is…, The numbers

show that…, The fact is this:…,

Partially agreeing:

I agree with you to a point however…, I see where you are coming from

but…, I see what you are saying but …,

Delaying Strategies

I can’t answer that directly..., I’ll need time to think about that..., That’s

a very interesting question, because…, That’s a difficult question to

answer,

Asking someone to repeat

Pardon me? Pardon? Excuse me? Sorry? I’m sorry? I beg your pardon?

Holding the floor

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Hold on..., Hold on a second..., Yes, I was about to mention that....,

Well, I was about to come to that..., Sorry, I haven’t finished yet ., I

haven’t made my point yet …

Expressing solutions and alternatives

The solution is to…, Then you will…, The best way to … is …, To …, you

really have to …., There are many choices....,

Supplementary materials

If needed, each member can be given a card indicating their position in

the debate.

Mothers should stay at

home and look after

children.

YOU AGREE

Mothers should stay at

home and look after

children.

YOU DISAGREE

Mothers should stay at

home and look after

children.

YOU AGREE

Mothers should stay at

home and look after

children.

YOU DISAGREE

Mothers should stay at

home and look after

children.

YOU AGREE

Mothers should stay at

home and look after

children.

YOU DISAGREE

Mothers should stay at

home and look after

children.

YOU AGREE

Mothers should stay at

home and look after

children.

YOU DISAGREE

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

GRAMMAR REVIEW

Simple Past Story 2

Who is she? What did she do? What happened?

Last week, Beth baked a cake for Lilly's birthday party. Lilly wanted

a strawberry cake with pink frosting. Beth was happy to bake the

cake.

First, Beth mixed the ingredients in a big bowl. Next, she poured the

cake batter into four round baking pans. She put the pans in the oven.

Finally, she baked the cakes for 20 minutes.

Then, Beth prepared the pink frosting. After the cakes cooled, Beth

stacked

them and covered them with frosting. Beth wrote Lilly's name

on top with white frosting. She put seven candles in the cake.

On Sunday, Beth surprised Lilly with the strawberry cake. Lilly loved

her cake! Lilly had many gifts for her birthday. But Lilly said her cake

was the best gift of them all!

Simple Past Story 2

–

Exercises

Answer the following questions. Use the Simple Past tense.

What kind of cake did Lilly want for her birthday? Who baked the cake?

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

What did Beth do first? How long did she bake the cakes?

What did Beth do on Sunday? How did Lilly feel about her cake?

Rewrite the following sentences as negative sentences, yes/no

questions, WH-questions (using the underlined word or phrase) and

tag

questions.

Beth mixed the ingredients in a big bowl.

Negative:

Yes/No Question:

WH-Question:

Tag Question:

She put the pans in the oven.

Negative:

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Yes/No Question:

WH-Question:

Tag Question:

Lilly loved her cake!

Negative:

Yes/No Question:

WH-Question:

Tag Question:

This is a copy of the original story. Fill in the blanks with the past tense

form of

each verb in parentheses.

Last week, Beth (bake) a cake for Lilly's birthday party. Lilly

(want) a strawberry cake with pink frosting. Beth

(is) happy to bake the cake.

First, Beth

(mix) the ingredients in a big bowl. Next, she

(pour) the cake batter into four round baking pans. She

(put) the pans in the oven. Finally, she

(bake)

the

cakes for 20 minutes.

Then, Beth (prepare) the pink frosting. After the cakes

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

(cool), Beth (stack) them and

(cover) them with frosting. Beth

(write) Lilly's name on top with white frosting. She (put)

seven candles in the cake.

On Sunday, Beth

(surprise) Lilly with the strawberry cake. Lilly

(love) her cake! Lilly (has) many gifts for her

birthday. But Lilly

(say) her cake

_(is) the best gift

of them all!

READING

Since its start in 1998, Google has

become one of the most popular

search engines. It has grown from a

research project in the dormitory room

of two college students to a business

that now employs approximately

20,000 people.

Google’s founders, Larry Page and

Sergey Brin, met in 1995 when they

were in their twenties and graduate students in computer science at

Stanford University in California. They realized that Internet search was a

very important field and began working together to make searching easier.

Both Page and Brin left their studies at Stanford to work on their project.

Interestingly, they have never returned to finish their degrees.

Brin was born in Russia, but he has lived in the U.S. since he was five

years old. His father was a mathematician in Russia. Page, whose parents

were computer experts, has been interested in computers since he was

six years old.

When Google started in 1998, it did 10,000 searches a day. Today it does

235 million searches a day in 40 languages. It indexes2 1 trillion Web pages.

How is Google different from other search engines? Have you ever

noticed how many ads and banners there are on other search engines?

News, sports scores, stock prices, links for shopping, mortgage rates, and

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

more fill other search engines. Brin and Page wanted a clean home page.

They believed that people come to the Internet to search for specific

information, not to be hit with a lot of unwanted data. The success of

Google over its rivals3 has proved that this is true.

Over the years, Google has added new features to its Web site: Google

Images, where you can type in a word and get thousands of pictures;

Google News, which takes you to today’s news; Google Maps; and more. But

one thing hasn’t changed: the cleanopening page that Googleoffers its users.

In 2009, Forbes.com listedPage and Brin as having networths of $12 billion each,

at 36 and 35 years old.

Underline the present perfect tense in each sentence. Then tell if

the sentence is true or false.

Google has become a very popular search engine. T

1. Google has grown over the years.

2. Sergey Brin has lived in the U.S. all his life.

3. Larry Page and Sergey Brin have known each other since they were children.

4. Larry Page has been interested in computers since he was a child.

5. Brin and Page have returned to college to finish their degrees.

6. Brin and Page have become rich.

7. The noun “Google” has become a verb.

Write the past participle of these verbs.

Eat ….. eaten

1. go 11. live 21. write

2. see 12. know 22. put

3. look 13. like 23. begin

4. study 14. fall 24. want

5. bring 15. feel 25. get

6. take 16. come 26. fly

7. say 17. break 27. sit

8. be 18. wear 28. drink

9. find 19. choose 29. grow

10. leave 20. drive 30. Give

Add the word in parentheses ( ) to the sentence.

You have gotten an e-mail account. (probably)

You have probably go_ en an e-mail account.

1. The teacher has given a test on Lesson 8. (already)

2. We have heard of Page and Brin. (never)

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

3. They have been interested in search technology. (always)

4. You have used Google. (probably)

5. Brin hasn’t finished his degree. (even)

6. Brin and Page have become billionaires. (already)

Change the statement to a question, using the word(s) in

parentheses.

Google has changed the way people search. (how)

How has Google changed the way people search?

1. I have used several search engines. (which ones)

2. Larry and Sergey haven’t finished their degrees. (why)

3. They have made a lot of money. (how much)

4. Sergey has been in the U.S. for many years. (how long)

5. Larry and Sergey have hired many people to work for Google.

(how many)

6. We have used the computer lab several times this semester. (how

many times)

7. The memory and speed of computers have increased. (why)

8. Computers have become part of our daily lives. (how)

ORAL PRACTICE

Share your sentences with the class.

Make statements with always.

Name something you’ve always thought about.

I’ve always thought about my future.

1. Name something you’ve always enjoyed.

2. Name a person you’ve always liked.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

3. Name something you’ve always wanted to do.

4. Name something you’ve always wanted to have.

5. Name something you’ve always been interested in.

Make statements with never.

Name a machine you’ve never used.

I’ve never used a fax machine.

1. Name a movie you’ve never seen.

2. Name a food you’ve never liked.

3. Name a subject you’ve never studied.

4. Name a city you’ve never visited.

5. Name a sport you’ve never played.

6. Name a food you’ve never tasted.

SAMPLE TEST

KEY ENGLISH TEST

WRITING

Questions 1 – 5

You must answer this question.

Write your answer in about 100 words on the answer sheet.

Question 1

Read this email from your English teacher Mrs Lake and the notes you have made.

PART 1

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

From: Mrs Lake

Subject: End of year party

Dear Class,

I’d like our class to have a party to celebrate the end

of the school year.

We could either have a party in the classroom or we

could go to the park. Which would you prefer to do?

What sort of activities or games should we do during

the party?

What food do you think we should have at the party?

Reply soon!

Anna Lake

Write your email to Mrs Lake using all the notes.

Part 2

Choose one of these questions.

Write your answer in about 100 words on the answer sheet.

Question 2

You see this announcement in your school English-language magazine.

SUGGEST….

GREAT

EXPLAIN

TELL Mrs.

Lake

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

ARTICLES WANTED!Articles wanted!

WHAT MAKES YOU LAUGH?

Write an article telling us what you find funny and who you enjoy laughing

with.

Do you think it’s good to laugh a lot? Why?

The best articles answering these questions will be published next month.

Write your article.

Question 3

Your English teacher has asked you to write a story.

Your story must begin with this sentence.

Jo looked at the map and decided to go left.

Write your story.

JOKE

Knock the wood!

Three ladies were discussing the travails of getting older. One said,

"Sometimes I catch myself with a jar of mayonnaise in my hand, while

standing in front of the refrigerator, and I can't remember whether I need

to put it away, or start making a sandwich."

The second lady chimed in with, "Yes, sometimes I find myself on the landing

of the stairs and can't remember whether I was on my way up or on my way

down."

The third one responded, " Well, ladies, I'm glad I don't have that problem.

Knock on wood," as she rapped her knuckles on the table, and then said,

"That must be the door, I'll get it!"

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Big Deal

Meaning/Usage: Something really important. Often times used with "no" to

express that the event is not as important as they think.

Explanation: This phrase is also used sarcastically. For example, if someone says

"I did 30 push-ups this morning." Someone else can respond, "Big deal. I did 50

push-ups!"

"Passing my driver's test was no big deal."

"He thinks he is such a big deal."

"It's no big deal if we don't go tonight."

A. "I think I might have lost that screwdriver you let me borrow last week."

B. "It's no big deal, I have another one."

Other Common Sentences

"He thinks he is all that matters."

"It's not that important."

WRITE 3 EXAMPLES MORE

_________________________________________________________

The Colorful World of Synesthesia

The number "6" is a bright shade of pink. Listening to a cello smells like

chocolate. And eating a slice of pizza creates a tickling sensation on the

back of your neck.

If you have experiences like this, you may be one of the special people

with an unusual sensory condition called synesthesia (pronounced sin-

uhs-THEE-zha).

People with synesthesia experience a "blending" of their senses when

they see, smell, taste, touch, or hear. Such people have specially wired

brains, so that when something stimulates one of the five senses, another

sense also responds. This blending can cause people to see sound, smell

colors, or taste shapes.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Dozens of different sensory combinations exist. In the most common

form of synesthesia, numbers, letters, or even days of the week appear

in their own distinct color.

If you've encountered these types of events, you're not alone. Scientists

say as many as one in every 200 people may be a synesthete, as a person

with this condition is called.

The phenomenon is known to run in families and may occur more often

among women than men. Many famous people have had synesthesia,

including Russian writer Vladimir Nabokov and physicist Richard

Feynman.

One thing is certain: most synesthetes treasure their unusual ability to

take in the world with an additional sense. After all, who wouldn't want

to experience the world in full, glorious color or sound?

"It's absolutely a positive experience;' says Patricia Lynn Duffy, a

synesthete who has talked to hundreds of others with the condition while

writing a book on the subject. "If you proposed to take away someone's

synesthetic ability, I think they would say, 'No, I like it this way".

What Color Is My "I”?

Most synesthetes learn about their amazing gift by accident. They are

surprised to learn that everyone does not experience the world as they

do.

Though it may sound strange to many people, Duffy says the experiences

are not scary. The people who have synesthesia have always experienced

life that way.

"For as long as I could remember, each letter of the alphabet had

a different and distinct color. This is just part of the way alphabet

letters look to me;' says Duffy. "Until I was 16, I took it for

granted that everyone shared those perceptions with me.

Synesthetes do not actively think about their perceptions-they just

happen. Some synesthetes report that they see such colors internally, in

"the mind's eye:' Others, such as Duffy, see their visions projected in

front of them, like watching an image on a movie screen.

Scientists know that in synesthesia, those colors are real, not just

figments of an active imagination.

How? Studies show that the colors

synesthetes see are highly specific and consistent over time. If the letter

"b" is lime green, it will always be lime green.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Studies done in the mid-1990s showed that synesthesia also can be

measured by brain-scanning techniques.3 For synesthetes who

perceive colors when hearing words, a certain part of the brain involved

with vision is active in response to sound. That type of activity didn't

occur in non-synesthetes.

Making Connections

So how can the sound of a musical instrument lead to color? Scientists

are still trying to discover exactly how information from the senses

merges together in the brain. But this much is known:

Messages gathered from the eyes, ears, mouth, nose, and nerves

involved in the sense of touch travel to the brain for processing. Much of

this sensory processing occurs in an area of the brain called the cortex,

the outermost part of the brain that organizes and enables us to respond

to the incoming messages.

Information from each of the senses is first processed in its own special

region. It's then sent on to "higher" regions in the cortex for further

processing. At certain points in the brain, these various senses converge.

One theory is that synesthesia may be caused by "cross-wiring" between

areas of the brain that process different sensations, such as color, sound,

or taste. This theory draws on the fact that children are born with many

nerve connections between nearby parts of the brain.

"During our first few years of life, our brain makes more connections

than it needs, and then eventually prunes some of those away;' says

Edward Hubbard, a post-doctoral researcher at the French National

Institute for Health and Medical Research who studies what causes

synesthesia.

One thing that may happen in synesthesia, Hubbard says, is that some

of these connections don't get pruned away. If so, then people may see

specific colors with particular letters because they have extra

connections between the brain areas involved in word and color

perception.

took it for granted assumed something was true without evidence or proof

figments of an active imagination imaginary things that someone believes are real

brain-scanning techniques ways of taking pictures of the brain to look at brain activity

prunes cuts away unnecessary parts to help growth

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

Last summer, a group of scientists in the Netherlands found direct

evidence of these types of extra connections.

The researchers used a method called DTI to scan the brains of so 18

people with synesthesia. They also looked at the brains of 18 non-

synesthetes. DTI ( which stands for diffusion tensor imaging) measures

how water flows in the brain. Within certain brain tissues, or nerve fibers,

water flows more freely in one direction than the other. This is especially

true in a type of nerve fiber, or axon, that carries messages from brain

cell to brain cell. Commonly called "white matter;' these axons connect

different parts of the brain to each other.

By measuring the water flow through these tissues, the scientists could

measure how many of these axons there were in each brain region. Brain

regions that are highly connected will have more white-matter axons.

In synesthetes who saw colored letters, the scientists found higher levels

of white matter in three different brain regions. One was in the letter and

word region of the brain, known as V4. The other highly connected areas

were found in brain regions involved in consciousness-

the awareness that you're thinking, feeling, seeing, hearing, or doing any

number of other things your brain enables you to do.

"We have lots of things impingings upon our senses, and some of them

become conscious and some of them don't;' says Hubbard. ''Activity in

this area

might make a person more consciously aware of a synesthetic

expenence.

These findings don't rule out other possible causes of synesthesia, says

Hubbard. Still, he is now working to see if this type of "cross-wiring"

occurs in other forms of synesthesia. Other scientists are looking to see

whether other parts of the brain are also involved in synesthesia.

Hubbard is also developing better ways to identify the various processing

regions of the brain. "Everybody's brain differs a little bit in its exact

organization;' he says. Duffy notes that these variations in nerve

connections occur not only in synesthetes, but in all people. "Everybody

develops a neural pattern that's kind of unique, just like a fingerprint;'

she says. "That's why no two people are seeing the world in exactly the

same way:'

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

After You Read

A. Comprehension. For each item below, fill in the correct circle.

1.Identifying the Author's Purpose The purpose of the article is to _.

A. entertain

B. persuade

C. educate

D. tell a personal story

2. Finding the Main Idea The main idea of the reading is:

A. Scientists have just begun studying a sensory condition called

synesthesia.

B. People with synesthesia experience a blending of their senses, so

some see sound, smell colors, or taste shapes.

C. Synesthesia is an unusual but harmless condition that affects the

brain, and most synesthetes enjoy having the condition_.

D. Scientists have made some progress in determining the causes of

a sensor y condition called synesthesia.

3. Scanning for Details Most synesthetes _.

A. see numbers, letters, and days in specific colors

B. taste specific foods when they hear certain kinds of music

C. smell specific odors when they touch certain textures

D. hear music when they taste certain flavors

4. Scanning for Details In a group of 400 people, you can probably

find _.

A. one person with synesthesia

B. two people with synesthesia

C. four people with synesthesia

D. six people with synesthesia

5. Scanning for Details Scientists have found that synesthetes who

see numbers in specific colors _.

A. always see a number in the same color

B. see different colors depending on whether the number is written

or spoken

C. don't see colors when numbers are spoken

D. see the same colors as other synesthetes.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

6. Scanning for Details A lot of sensory processing happens in __ .

A. nerve fibers

B. the cortex

C. the axons

D. white matter

8. Vocabulary

Underline the words in the box below in the reading passage on pages

39-41. Then complete each sentence with the correct word.

Perceptions theory variations consciously rule out take in

1. There were a lot of people talking in the hallway, but I wasn't ____ _

aware of them until one of them called my name.

2. The first time a doctor told me I had synesthesia, it was a lot to ____

He gave me so much information to read about my condition.

3. One about synesthesia is that it is the result of connections

between different parts of the brain.

4. There are several of the condition. For some people, numbers

and letters appear in certain colors. For others, the sound of music

makes them smell particular foods.

5. The doctors did a brain scan to brain damage. They didn't think

there was any danger of that, but they wanted to make sure.

6. We can never be sure that two people's of something are the

same. For example, how can we ever be certain that two people are

seeing identical shades of blue when they look at the same sky?

C. Consider the Issues

Work with a partner to answer the questions below.

1. According to the reading, there are dozens of sensory combinations

That come with synesthesia. The reading also states that most

synesthetes consider their condition to be a gift. What sensory

combination do you think would be the most enjoyable?

Check two senses in the list below.

sight taste touch smell hearing

2. Explain how you imagine the senses you chose would blend. For

example, would you see numbers in certain colors? Would you smell

certain odors when you heard music?

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

3. Why do you think this combination of senses would be enjoyable?

Would there be any negative consequences of having this combination?

Building Vocabulary

Understanding Verb-Forming Suffixes

Understanding suffixes can help you with reading comprehension. Often,

you can recognize whether a word is a noun, verb, or adjective based on

its suffix, even if you don't know the word.

Some suffixes often signal that a word is a verb. These suffixes are -ize,

-ate,-fy, and -en.

Examples

-ize: memorize, visualize

-ate: differentiate, educate

-fy: magnify, terrify

-en: strengthen, shorten

Note that some adjectives and nouns can also end in -ate:

carbohydrate, certificate,fortunate, passionate. So pay attention to

context when you read an unfamiliar word that ends in -ate to

determine its part of speech.

A. Complete each sentence with the correct form of a verb from the box.

Stimulate organize identify verify strengthen

1. The cortex the messages that come into our brain so that

we can understand and respond to them.

2. Scientists have that synesthetes who see numbers in color

actually see those colors; they don't just imagine them.

3. In the brains of synesthetes, when something one sense,

another sense also responds. For example, when a synesthete sees

red, she might also smell chocolate.

4. Brain scans have the argument that synesthetes really experience a

blending of senses because now scientists have evidence that

multiple parts of the brain respond at once.

5. Scientists have a nerve fiber in the brain that carries

messages from cell to cell. They call it "white matter'

B. Use a dictionary to choose the correct verb-forming suffix to turn

each word below into a verb.

1. symbol symbofize

2. personal________________________

3. nause________________________a

4. simple________________________

5. length________________________

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

6. moist________________________

7. active________________________

8. sweet________________________

9. critic________________________

10. cheap________________________

11. horror________________________

12. civil________________________

13. worse________________________

14. equal________________________

15. motive________________________

C. Choose five verbs from Activity B and write a sentence using each

one.

Reading Sl<ill

Making Inferences

When you make an inference, you make a judgment based on clues in

the reading. Making inferences is sometimes called «reading between

the lines:

For example, the author writes, "Scientists say as many as one in every

200 people may be a synesthete:' From this, we can infer that most

people probably know at least one synesthete, whether they're aware of

it or not, since most people know at least 200 people.

A. Analyze the Reading

What can you infer from each of the following statements from the

reading?

Fill in the correct circle.

1. "This is just part of the way alphabet letters look to me:, says Duffy.

"Until I was 16, I took it for granted that everyone shared those

perceptions with me."

A. Duffy probably went to a doctor when she was 16 because she

was afraid of her perceptions.

B. Duffy may have told someone about her perceptions when she

was 16.

C. Before Duffy turned 16, she knew a lot of people who saw letters

the same way she did.

2. This is especially true in a type of nerve fiber, or axon that carries

messages from brain cell to brain cell. Commonly called "white matter;'

these axons connect different parts of the brain to each other.

A. The scientists who conducted the research on synesthesia made up

the term "white matter:'

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

B. Only synesthetes have white matter in their brains.

C. Scientists knew about white matter before they conducted their

research on synesthesia.

3. In synesthetes who saw colored letters, the scientists found higher

levels of white matter in three different brain regions.

A. The scientists expected to find lower levels of white matter in

these regions of the synesthetes' brains.

B. The scientists found lower levels of white matter in these regions

of the brains of non-synesthetes.

C. Non-synesthetes had no white matter in these regions of their

brains.

SAMPLE TEST

KEY ENGLISH TEST

LISTENING

Questions 1 – 7

For each question, choose the correct answer.

1 What did the girl buy on her shopping trip?

PART 1

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

2 Why did the plane leave late?

3 What activity does the woman want to book for the weekend?

4 Which cake will the girl order?

5 How much must customers spend to get a free gift?

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

6 What did the family do on Sunday?

7 Which programme is on first?

PART 2

Questions 8 – 13

For each question, choose the correct answer

8. You will hear two friends talking about a new clothes shop

What does the girl say about it?

A. The staff are helpful.

B. It only has the latest fashions.

C. Prices are reduced at the moment.

9. You will hear two friends talking about a pop band’s website.

They think the site would be better if

A. its information was up to date.

B. it was easier to buy concert tickets.

C. the band members answered messages.

10. You will hear a woman telling a friend about an art competition she’s

won. How does she feel about it?

A. upset that the prize isn’t valuable

B. excited that the judges liked her picture

C. disappointed that she can’t use the prize

11. You will hear two friends talking about the girl’s flatmate.

The girl thinks that her flatmate

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

A. is too untidy.

B. talks too much.

C. plays music too loud.

12. You will hear two friends talking about a football match.

They agree that their team lost because

A. the players weren’t confident enough.

B. they were missing some key players.

C. the players didn’t do the right training.

13. You will hear two friends talking about a tennis match they played.

The boy wants the girl to

A. help him to get fitter.

B. practise with him more often.

C. enter more competitions with him.

PART 3

Questions 14 – 19

For each question, write the correct answer in the gap. Write one or

two words or a number or a date or a time.

You will hear a radio presenter called Anita talking about her holiday in

Cuba.

ANITA’S HOLIDAY IN CUBA:

In the National Gardens, the (14) ________________ was the thing that

attracted most people.

On the swimming trip, electronic armbands kept the (15) ____________away.

On the day in the countryside, Anita almost fell off a (16)_______________.

In the capital city, Anita saw a (17) ____________________ in a theatre.

Anita enjoyed visiting a farm where (18) _________________ is produced.

Anita bought some (19) _____________________ as gifts.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES

PART 4

Questions 20 – 25

For each question, choose the correct answer.

You will hear an interview with a woman called Vicky Prince, a champion

swimmer who now works as a swimming coach.

20. Vicky first went in for competitions because

A. she had joined a swimming club.

B. her parents were keen on swimming.

C. her swimming teacher encouraged her.

21. As a teenager, Vicky’s training involved

A. exercising on land as well as in the water.

B. going without meals during the day.

C. travelling to a pool once a day.

22. What did Vicky find hard about her training program?

A. She couldn’t go on school trips.

B. She lost some of her friends.

C. She missed lots of parties.

23. What helped Vicky to do well in the national finals?

A. She was not expected to win.

B. She trained harder than usual.

C. She wanted to take a cup home.

24. As a swimming coach, Vicky thinks she’s best at teaching people

A. to deal with failure.

B. to improve their technique.

C. to get swimming qualifications.

25. Why has Vicky started doing long-distance swimming?

A. She needed to get fit again.

B. She thought it would be fun.

C. She wanted to do some travelling.

AMERICAN ENGLISH SCHOOL AES